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marketing ideas for ortho office

How does your final quarter look? The month of December is your final opportunity to end your year on a high note.

Practice Management Tips & Ideas

National Write a Business Plan Month – Plan now to make 2018 your Best Year Yet! Meet together as a team to discuss marketing ideas, production, & collection goals, new patient goals, continuing education needs/wants, office maintenance/repairs/remodel needs. Put your plans down on paper! Be sure to include a plan of action: The Who, What, Where, When & How’s!

Do you have any patients with incomplete treatment or ones that are due/past due in hygiene with remaining insurance benefits that will expire at the end of this year? Do what you can to help them see the need and value in scheduling an appointment this month. Some offices invite their patients to take advantage of “today only” special offers that they share via their social media sites, email blasts, and telephone calls.

Be alert to any patients that are coming in with the doctor or hygienist and have incomplete treatment or are due in hygiene. If the schedule allows, encourage them to take care of both at the same time. This means carefully reviewing all charts in advance of the appointment.

December is a great time for Special offers on Teeth Whitening, Electric Toothbrushes, and Invisalign.

Consider having a drawing for a gift basket or gift card to a local business that your patients can enter to win when they come in for their dental appointment before December 23rd.

Cosmetic Dentistry Opportunity:

Many of your patients will be attending holiday parties/events during the month of December. Typically with these special occasions come a lot of picture-taking. Now is a great time to help them see how they can easily get their smile ready for the camera with teeth whitening and other cosmetic treatment/procedures.

Remember, Gift Certificates for Teeth Whitening should always be available for your patients to purchase as gifts for their loved ones.

Dental Marketing Tips & Ideas:

Cookie Cutter Week: 1-7 – Purchase a variety of cookie cutters to individually package and seal with an office label that says: “Our Patients Are a CUT Above the Rest!” See more patient gift ideas here: Patient Appreciation Gift Ideas

National 12-hour Fresh Breath Day: 12th –Great Dental Education Opportunity to discuss with your patients and on your social media platforms the possible causes of bad breath and treatment remedies.

Travel Toothbrush Bags –Many of your patients travel during the holidays – Surprise them with a small gift for their travels. Put together toothbrush bags that include a toothbrush, floss, toothpaste and a “what to do in a dental emergency” handout. You could also include other travel sized items such as lotion, Advil, lip balm, etc.

~ Social Media Post Ideas to Improve Engagement ~

It’s About Time Week: 25-31

National Cotton Candy Day: 7th

Gingerbread House Day: 12th

Short Girl Appreciation Day: 21st (Shortest day of the year)

Bacon Day: 30th

Sometimes despite your best efforts the schedule still falls apart. Don’t stress over it, instead use that downtime to do some training, team building and/or office cleaning/organizing.

If you are interested in having me help your office create a custom marketing campaign that includes ideas for special offers, office fun, giveaways/drawings, community involvement, cross-marketing with local businesses and hygiene continuing care/incomplete treatment scripting, or perhaps you need help implementing your goals and ideas, please contact me today at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com

Don’t miss out on any of the ideas that I share each month! Are you receiving my complimentary Practice Management and Marketing Ideas in your email inbox each month? If not, please start following us today. If you prefer, send me your email address and I will send you an invitation to follow my blog.

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” – Martin Luther

This post isn’t about planting apple trees, it is, however, about planting dental marketing seeds during October’s National Apple Month. We’re going to use apples as our dental marketing seeds.

Here are some dental tips and ideas to help your dental office celebrate apple month!

Exceed Patient Expectations –

Give-Away – Set out a nice bowl/basket of apples to give to your patients’ and delivery people.

Gift Basket Drawing – Make an Apple tree and every time a patient comes in for an appointment during the month you add an apple with their first name on it (full name on the back) and use it for a drawing to win an apple themed gift basket filled with goodies.

You could even promote that via your social media sites. (Perhaps extend the drawing to new office Facebook likes.)

Events in the Community – Create a hand-out for your patients listing the best local cider mills and apple orchards. Include any fall-themed events taking place in your community.

Marketing to local businesses –

Who will you visit in the community?

Schools

Salons

City Hall / Police Station / Fire Department

Library

And anywhere else you think might be a good place to bring in new patients from. At the very least, you’ll be building healthy & fun relationships with the folks in your community.

What will you bring?

Basket of Apples

Donuts and Apple Cider

Apple Pie

Toothbrush or Lip Balm attached to an apple-shaped gift tag.

Be sure that when you deliver these items, your office information is visible. Maybe include some sort of call to action special offer.

to post a picture of them apple picking or at a cider mill onto your office Facebook page.

(Have your team members do this as well.)

Team Building Activity – Get your team together to make apple sauce, apple pie filling, caramel sauce, or an apple/cinnamon sugar scrub. Put it in little jars with a ribbon and label with your office information. You can then give away as gifts to your new patients and or referring doctors/specialists. How fun is that?!

So many different ways to help exceed the expectations of your current patients and to hopefully, bring in many new patients just by planting little seeds every chance you get or create.

I would love to hear all about your plans to make October a great month. If you need help creating a fun & effective dental marketing campaign for your office, contact me at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com to set up a complimentary consultation.

Have you signed up to receive my complimentary dental marketing and practice management ideas that are sent right to your email inbox each month? If not, take a second and sign up. Or send me your email address and I will send you an invite to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea

Goal: Raise awareness for the importance of preventive dental care, take better care of your current patients, increase production, and bring in new patients.

Example Scripting:

Sealants: “A Tooth Without A Sealant is like a Car Without A Seat Belt” Dental Sealants Protect Your Teeth Against Decay and Cavities

Hygiene Continuing Care: Summertime is a great time of year and it can also be a busy time of year. We encourage you to remember to take the time to squeeze in your regular dental visit before the summer months fly by. Regular dental visits are so important to your overall health.

If you are interested in having me help your office create a custom “Cruise On In For Better Health” (or different themed) campaign that includes ideas for special offers, patient give-aways/drawings, community involvement, cross marketing with local businesses and recare/incomplete treatment scripting, please contact me today at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com

~ Educational Opportunity ~

National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month & National Headache Awareness Week: 4-10 – If it’s not your patient in the chair that suffers from migraines or headaches, it’s someone that they know. Great opportunity to share with them information about how you can help bring them or a friend some relief.

~ Social Media Post Ideas to Improve Engagement ~

Say Something Nice Day: 1

National Thank God It’s Monday Day: 5

Corn on the Cob Day: 11

National Cotton Candy Day: 11

Eat Your Vegetables Day: 17

National Selfie Day: 21

International Body Piercing Day: 28

Bonus Ideas:

June is Great Outdoors Month – Print up a list of local parks, trails, camping sites, public pools/splash pads, kids outdoor activity ideas, etc. for your patients to take home and share with friends, family, co-workers & neighbors. Be sure to include your office contact information. All month-long share this information on your social media pages.

If you are interested in having me help your office create a custom marketing campaign that includes ideas for special offers, office fun, patient give-aways/drawings, community involvement, cross marketing with local businesses and hygiene continuing care/incomplete treatment scripting, please contact me today atbhaydenconsulting@gmail.com

Are you receiving my free dental marketing and practice management ideas every month to your email? If not, PLEASE take a second and follow today or send me (bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com) your email address and I will send you an invitation to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea. Feel free to share my blog with your dental friends.

Hygiene Continuing Care Reminders – Summertime is a great time of year and it can also be a busy time of year. We encourage you to remember to take the time to squeeze in your regular dental visit before the summer months fly by. Regular dental visits are so important to your overall health.

Social Media Sites– All month long share family health & wellness tips, community event info, etc. on your office social media pages.

Give-away- Apples – Basket of Apples with a sticker or tag that says: “Our Patients Are Awesome to The Core” or “You’re the Apple of our Eyes”

or

Sunscreen –Give away mini bottles of sunscreen. If you don’t have them imprinted with your office name, simply add a tag to the bottles. May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

If you are interested in having me help your office create a custom marketing campaign that includes ideas for special offers, office fun, patient give-aways/drawings, community involvement, cross marketing with local businesses and hygiene continuing care/incomplete treatment scripting, please contact me today at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com

Are you receiving my free dental marketing and practice management ideas every month to your email? If not, PLEASE take a second and follow today or send me your email address and I will send you an invitation to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea. Feel free to share my blog with your dental friends.

Have you ever called a local business and were immediately put on hold only to hear every few seconds this crazy annoying beeping sound or there is dead silence? You can’t tell if you’ve been disconnected or are still on hold. Or what about the business that has a radio playing as their on-hold message, except it’s all static or playing some lame music?

A while back I set one of my clients up with a message on hold service, created beautiful, short custom marketing messages for them and on the first day of using it, a caller said: “Oh, I didn’t know you do teeth whitening.” See how that works?

Having a quality message on hold system set up is a good thing. Use this service as an opportunity to educate and inform your callers while they are on hold.

Every dental office has information, news, events, or dental health facts and services that should be highlighted while a caller is put on hold.

In addition to playing music, what are some things you can talk about?

Special Office Events

Dental Services & Products

Dental Health Tips

Office Hours

Social Media Site Information (Invite callers to “like” / “follow” the office.)

Financial Expectations

Website Address

A message on hold system allows you to advertise to your patients and keep them informed on the latest and greatest office happenings. It will also distract them from the fact that they’ve been put on hold.

Please make sure that you keep your content fresh! One of my doctors offices has had the same on hold message for years!! I think I have it memorized. Blah!

There are many on hold messaging services out there.

My suggestions for what to look for in a message on hold service/system are:

Quality Sound & Voice Talent.

Inexpensive – You don’t need to spend a lot of money!

Helpful – Exceptional Customer Service.

Allows you to change your message and music throughout the year.

Doesn’t lock you into a long contract.

Will help you create effective messages.

Makes the setup and process easy on you and your team!

Allows you to listen to sample messages before buying.

And if you want my specific recommendation, it is Captive Audience. After much research, this is the company that I have found to meet my requirements and exceed my expectations. (See below for more information about Captive Audience)

Have you ever called your office and were put on hold? I know your patients and potential patients have, what are they hearing or not hearing? Make the time they’re on hold count!

Those are my thoughts on using a message on hold service.

Since we’re talking about putting callers on hold, might I add, never, ever answer the phone with “hold please” or “can you hold?”! Take a quick second, find out who they are and what they need. People prefer not being put on hold. If you are habitually needing to put callers on hold, you need more people answering the phones.

Are you receiving my free dental marketing and practice management ideas every month to your email? If not, PLEASE take a second and follow today or send me your email address and I will send you an invitation to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea. Feel free to share my blog with your dental friends. ~ Thank you!

The month of March is your opportunity to end the first quarter of 2017 stronger than ever. If you haven’t done so already, put down in writing your practice management and marketing plans for March. Here are a few ideas to help get you started…

~ Dental Practice Managment Ideas ~

Employee Spirit Month – If you want to increase employee trust, creativity, teamwork, engagement, and productivity, then it’s time to have some fun, commend more, improve communication and huddle up!

National Kidney Month – Good dental health isn’t just about preventing cavities and keeping your gums healthy. Both tooth decay and gum disease can lead to infections that can cause problems for people with kidney disease. A study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology reported that people with kidney disease and those on dialysis are more likely to have periodontal disease and other oral health problems than the general population.

March is an especially important month for any of you that typically struggle with the appointment schedule during the month of September. Be sure to pre-appoint your March hygiene patients for their 6-month continuing care appointments. (If this isn’t already being done with your hygiene patients, make it your goal to schedule their next appointment while they are there in the office.)

~ Dental Marketing Ideas ~

Product/Service Feature: Teeth Whitening

Theme: Tropical Luau

Tag line: “Smiles So Bright You’ll Need To Wear Shades!“

Offer teeth whitening at a reduced price or BOGO (encourages patients to bring a friend) or donate a portion of teeth whitening collections to a local charity.

So there you have it, some fun & educational ways to help your patients and potential patients smile and exceed their expectations during the month of March.

If you are interested in having me help your office create a custom marketing campaign that includes ideas for special offers, office fun, patient give-aways/drawings, community involvement, cross marketing with local businesses and hygiene continuing care/incomplete treatment scripting, please contact me today at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com

Don’t miss out on any of the ideas that I share each month! Are you receiving my complimentary Practice Management and Marketing Ideas via email each month? If not, please FOLLOW today. Feel free to tell your dental friends all about us so they can start benefiting from these dental ideas too.

If you liked these ideas, please let me know by hitting the “like” button. Thank you!!!

How do you encourage referrals and build relationships with your patients when the average dental patient comes in only 2 times per year for their continuing care hygiene appointment? Think about this, you get to spend 2-3 hours out of 8,760 hours per year with those patients. With all of life’s distractions and responsibilities, how can you ensure that they don’t forget about you in between appointments? Stay In Touch. Keep your name in front of them by planting little reminder seeds.

Today, I’m going to share with you 10 Ways to Stay In Touch With Your Patients. Ten easy & effective ways you can stay in touch by planting “reminder seeds”.

Social Media – Active Social Media pages are a must. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest are excellent ways to engage and build lasting relationships with your patients. If you struggle with what to post on your pages, visit here for social media content ideas.

Freebies – Give away free items imprinted with your office name, website and phone number to each patient at their appointment. Such as; toothbrushes, magnets, calendars, pens and lip balm. ( If you’re wondering where you can order some quality imprinted items, check out Bizarre Marketing. I share this particular company with you because their customer service is awesome!)

Cards – Send cards to your patients, Just Because, Thank you for your referral and/or Special Occasion cards. People appreciate getting an “old fashioned” hand written greeting card via snail mail. Make it convenient by keeping a variety of greeting cards on hand.

Telephone – Pick up the telephone and call your patients. Here are a few reasons you may have to call: Continuing care appointment reminders, Thank you for your referral, Post-op (just checking in to see how well you’re doing), Refill reminders (due for a refill on whitening gel, toothpaste, electric toothbrush head replacement, etc), and Special Occasions.

Letters – Send out letters for incomplete treatment, congratulations on completed treatment, welcome to our practice and thank you for your referral. Tip: providers and team members should personally sign their letters. Include a brief note or comment if appropriate. In addition to letters, send continuing care appointment reminder postcards and text messages.

Patient Appreciation Events – Host a fun event for your patients – In-office Patient Appreciation Days and Open House events. See Open House ideas. Out of office events, such as; Roller Skating, Indoor Bounce/Trampoline, Movie Theater, Public Pool, Bowling, Local Park, etc. Invite your patients to bring a friend. Be sure to have imprinted giveaways and information about your office at these events. Encourage all attendees to visit and like your social media pages.

Community Involvement – Be involved in local health fairs, charity events, sponsor local sports teams, etc. Just a thought, when you and your team are out participating in community events, consider wearing t-shirts that clearly identify (advertise) your office and give away a lot of imprinted gifts.

There you have it, 10 ways to stay in touch with your dental patients. Doing some or all of these things will help to build lasting relationships with your patients and encourage referrals.

Of course, the very best way to ensure your patients remember to come back and to refer their friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers is to get them talking about their experience after they leave your office. How do you that? Be consistently great! Consistently exceed expectations! Plan to make sure that each and every appointment is great from the initial greeting at arrival, during their appointment, and when you say your thank you and goodbyes as they leave. (See Earn The Privilege To Serve Again)

At your next team meeting, discuss what you are currently doing to stay in touch with your patients and how you can improve in planting more reminder seeds.

Are you receiving my complimentary Practice Management and Marketing Ideas in your email inbox each month? If not, please subscribe today. Feel free to tell your dental friends all about us so they can start benefiting from these dental ideas too. If you liked these ideas, please let me know by hitting the “like” button. Thank you!!